Implement for processing fur



Jan. 20, 1931. J. H. HERRMANN 6 I IMPLEMENT FOR PROCESSING FUR FiledSept. 19, 1929 WITNESS WM fmaw, I I MTWNEYJ Patented Jan. 1931;

UNITED STATES,

PATENT [OFFICE vJTJIIIIEIZ U'S HJHERRMANN, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIAIMPLEMENT FOR PROCESSING FUR Application filed September 19, 1929.Serial No. 393,712.

tially simultaneously so that the dampened.

fur has no opportunity to dry between the time when it is combed andthat when it is ironed, and since the fur is initially dampened but veryslightly, any material delay in the application of the iron after thecombing is completed affords an opportunity for the fur to dry out to anextent where redampening is required if a satisfactory result is to beobtained. Consequently, particularly when processing large pelts, only apart thereof can be combed and ironed at a time, as, if the peltis fullycombed and then ironed it has ordinarily dried outtoo much, especiallyin the vicinity of the parts which were combed first, to permit ofasuccessful, satisfactory ironing operation; on the other hand, if but asmall portion of the pelt is combed and then. ironed immediately beforeit has had a chance to dry out, it is extremely diflicult, if notimpossible, to give the pelt the same appearance throughout its extent,a condition which, of course, is eminently desirable where the pelt isto be employed in garment manufacture or the like. v

The principal object of my invention, therefore, is to provide animplement for use in the processing of fur by the means of which thedifficulties to which I have referred may be entirely obviated andwhich, additionally, is effective 'in reducing the time required for theprocessing of a givenpelt with corresponding reduction in the costthereof.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of design and constructioncomprehended by my invention are hereinafter more particularly mentionedor will be apparent from the following description of an implementconstructed in accordance therewith and illustrated in the accompanyingdraw- H1 g. Y In the said drawing Fig. 1 is 'a central longitudinalvertical section through the impleo ment with certain parts shown inelevation;

- Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the implement;

Fig. 3 a bottom plan view thereof on a reduced scale and Fig. 4 ahorizontal section substantially on the line 44 in Fig. 1, the samecharacters of reference being used to designate the same parts in theseveral figures.

As will be readily apparent from an inspection' of the drawing, theimplement in its preferred embodiment as therein shown to some extentresembles an electrically heat- "ed flat iron and thus comprises arelatively heavy base 1, desirably of cast iron or the like, and havingparallel upper and lower faces respectively desi ated .as 2 and '3; thelower face of the base 1s preferably smoothly finished and polished soas to effect a suitable contact with the fur while the upper face -maybe left rough. In planary outline, as

best shown in Fig. 3, the base generally conforms in shape to theordinary flat iron, the sides being parallel or substantially so for aconsiderable distance from its rear end and then converging oppositelyinwardly to form a point or nose; beneath this nose the base is cut awayinwardly or upwardly from its bot tom face 3 to provide a recess 4 whichthus lies under the correspondingly thinner nose 1 of the base;

The base of the implement is adapted to be operatively heated in anysuitable way and for this purpose, therefore, a heating element so ofany suitabletype may preferably be disposed adjacent the upper face ofthe base where electricity is utilized as the heating medium ashereinafter more fully described. However, it will be understood that itis entirely within the scope and purview of my invention to utilize gasfor heating the base in a manner generally similar to that employed inheating gas flat irons and the like, or, under certain circumstances, itmay be preferred to heat the base of the element by placing it on astove or the like in which case',"of course, any self-containedmeans foreffecting the heating function may be entirely omitted. i V lifowever,as stated, I prefer to utilize elec- 9 tricity under most conditions asa heating medium and, with thatend in view and as shown in the drawing,a' heating unit of suitable construction may be disposed upon oradjacent the uppersurface of the base. This unit may in the usual way toterminal pieces 8 carried by the strips from which in turn connection isi made through the usual plug 10 and socket 11,

which latter is supported on the cover 12 of the implement, withaflexible conductor 13 extending to any desired source of electricity.The strips 66 and their surrounding turns.

of resistance wire are disposed between a pair of plates 1414 of mica orother insulating material on the uppermost of which is seated arelatively heavy and thick weighting elet ment 15 conforming generallyin shape to the base of the implement but of smaller dimensions, whilethe lowermost plate 14 is desirably slightly spaced from the upper faceof the base by washers 16; The heating unit and weighting element 15 areenclosed by the 'terial hollow cover12 which conformsin planary outlineto the base and is held in positionthereon by bolts 18 extendingdownwardly through the cover, the weighting element and resistance unitinto the base, as best shownin Fig. '1, each of the bolts beingsurrounded where re uired by sleeves 19 of insulating maposition by ayoke 21 disposed on the cover and secured thereto by the bolts 1-818.The socket 11, as shown, is supported in any convenient way adjacent therear end of the cover and may be secured to the yoke by ascrew 22 tohold it in position and in general enhance 7 the rigidity of theassembly.

Thus the current passing into the implement through the flexibleconductor 13 is effective to traverse the windings of resistance wire inthe heating unit so as to heat the same and in turn the base oftheimplement in a manner generally similar to that in which the bases ofelectric flat irons are heated,- as will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art. A thermostat or other like device for manuallycontrolling the heat may be providedin the customary way ifflesired butas the use of such devices is common, illustration thereof is omittedfrom the drawing for the sake of clearness'. y

In the recess formed adjacent the nose of the base are disposed aplurality of fine, normally vertically extending resilient pins or wires30 which, in the aggregate, form a comb for combing the fur. Thesewires, which are preferably formed of suitable metal, are so arrangedthat their lower extremities lie slightly above the plane of the bottomface 0 longitudinally extending handle. 20 1s disposed at a convenientdistance abovethe rear end of the base and is maintained in 3 of thebase, and are desirably preferably so supported as to enable theirconvenient detachment from the base to thereby facili tate repair orreplacement.- To this end, therefore, a supporting plate 31 maybeprovided substantially corresponding in planary outline to the nose ofthe implement so that when positioned in the recess below the nose itwill generally conform thereto; this plate may be removably secured tothe superjacent nose by small screws 32 disposed along its marginal edgeand extending upwardly into the corresponding portion of the nose, andis drilled or otherwise perforated at a plurality of points for thepassage of the wires formin the comb. The upper ends of the latter areeither turned over at right angles against the upper face of the plateor else are enlarged in Fig. 1, so that when the plate is secureddn therecess beneath the nose of the implementthe wires will be securelymaintained in position. Desirably, the perforations in the plate are soarranged that the wires are disposed more closely adjacent each othertoward the rear of the plate than at its forward end as best shown inFig. 3.

To modify the heating effect on the pelt of the superjacent nose of thebase above the comb and which because of its thinness is very readilyheated through by the heating un t, a'

shield 33 of asbestos or other heat insulating material is arrangedbeneath and desirably countersunk in the plate 31 and the wires ex-"tended therethrough; ordinarily this shield requires no means other thanthe frictional engagement of the wires therewith to retain itinposition, and it may therefore-be readily removed and replaced with anew one in case it should at any time become damaged.

The plate 31 at its apex may be provided with a downwardly extendingpreferably integral fin 34 terminating. a little above the ends vof thewires forming the comb and which is effective to prevent the implementand countersunk thereinto as clearly shown v being tilted forwardly by acareless operator for-an amount sufficient to be nd the wires beyondtheir elastic limit and thus give them a permanent angular set orinclination.

' In use,the implement, after being heated to the required degree issimply pushed forwardly over the dampened pelt so that'the hairs thereonare substantially simultaneously combed and ironed and are thussubjected tion as regards moisture or dampness, with the result that theprocessing of the fur irre- ,to both operations while in the same condi-.12o

spective of the size of the pelt is effected uno der the best possibleconditions and with uniform and satisfactory results, while the factthat the combing wires throughthe contact of their upper extremitieswith the heated nose of the base are themselves warmed or heated to someextent, facilitates their roper passage through the dampened furamftends to improve the ultimate appearance of the latter. I

While I have herein described a preferred form of the invention withconsiderable particularity, I do not thereby desire or intend tospecifically limit myself to any precise details in the construction,arrangement and assembly of the various parts as the same are capa- 'bleof modification in numerous particulars if the same be deemed desirablewithout departing from the spirit and scope 'of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

Having this described my invention, I claim and desire to protect byLetters Patent of the United States:

1. An implement of the class described, comprising a base having asmooth under surface and adapted to be heated, and a plurality ofnormally vertical wires forming a comb arranged adjacent and carried bythe base in position to precede the latter as the implement when inoperation is pushed over the goods.

2. An implement of the class described, comprising a base having asmooth under surface and adapted to be heated, and a plurality ofnormally vertical wires forming a comb arranged adjacent and carried bythe base in position to precede the latter as the implement when inoperation is pushed over the goods, the lower ends of the wiresterminating slightly above the plane of the lower face of the base.

3. An implement of the class described, comprising a base having a fiat,smooth under surface adjacent its rear end and converging to a pointtoward its forward end, means carried by the base adapted to operativelyheat the same, and a plurality of wires disposed beneath the forward endof the base and forming a comb adapted to operate on the fur of a peltin advance of the contact of the base therewith as the implement ispushed forwardly over the pelt.

4. An implement of the class described, comprising a base having a flat,smooth under surface adjacent its rear end and converging to a. pointtoward its forward end, means carried by the base adapted to operativelyheat the same, and a plurality of vertically extending wires disposedbeneath the forward end of the base and forming a comb adapted tooperateon the fur of a pelt in advance of the contact of the base therewith asthe implement is pushed forward over the pelt, the wires being disposedmore nearly adjacent each other as their individual distances from theforward end of the implement in- 'atively heating it, a handle carriedby the base and a plurality of normally vertically extending resilientwires disposed beneath the forward end of the base, terminating slightlyabove the plane of the under surface of the rear part of the base andforming a comb adapted to operate on the fur of a pelt prior to thecontact of the base therewith as the implement is propelled over thepelt while the latter is being processed.

6. An implement of the class described, comprising a heavy metallic basehaving its sides converging to a point at its forward end and a smooth,flat under surface adjacent its rear end, said base being cut away toform a recess beneath the point, means disposed on the base for.operatively heating it, a handle carried by the base, a plate removablysecured to the under face of the point of the base in said recess, and aplurality of wires extending downwardly through the plate and carriedthereby, the lower ends of the wires terminating slightly above theunder surface of the rear portion of the base.

7. An implement of the class described, comprising a heavy metallic basehaving its sides converging to a point at its forward end and a smooth,flat under surface adja cent its rear end, said base being cut away toform a recess beneath the point, means disposed on the base foroperatively heating it, a handle carried by the base, a plate removablysecured to the under face of the point of the base in said recess, ashield of heat insulating material disposed beneath the plate, and aplurality of wires extending downwardly through the plate and the shieldand having their upper ends lying adjacent the under face of the base.

8. An implement of the class described, comprising a heavy metallic basehaving its sides converging to a point at its forward end and a smooth,flat under surface ad acent its rear end, saidjbase being cut away toform a recess beneath the point, heating means carried'by the base, aplate removably secured to the under face of the point of the base insaid recess, a downwardly extending fin adjacent the forward end of theplate, a shield of heat insulating material disposed beneath the plate,and a plurality of wires extending downwardly through the plate and theshield and carried by the, former, the lower ends of the wiresterminating slightly above the under surface of the"rear portion of thebase.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day ofSeptember, A. D.

JULIUS H. HERRMANN.

